NEWW

NEW1

NEW2

Crippa

Scarborough

Shabir

Ipccar5

How can you, as an individual, contribute to solving climate change? Can the actions of one person really make a difference to our planet?&nbsp;In this course, we will be exploring the ways in which an individual can reduce their carbon emissions and consider how effective such actions will be in our fight to solve climate change. First of all, let's look at how what we eat impacts the world around us.Our diet has a big influence on climate change, as 25-30% of global human-made greenhouse gas emissions come from the production and distribution of food (varies depending on how it’s measured and if you include energy or land use change)NEW2,Crippa,NEWW.&nbsp;&nbsp;The following pie chart breaks down the greenhouse gas emissions released by global food production} each yearNEW2,11:

(The supply chain section includes food processing (converting produce from the farm into final products), transport, selling in stores and packaging.)&nbsp;Different foods produce different amounts of greenhouse gas, so it makes sense that changing our diets can have a positive impact on our emissionsNEW2. For example, did you know that, on average, eating 100g of protein from beef produces around 190 times more greenhouse gas than eating 100g of protein from nutsNEW1?&nbsp;

The graph below shows how other foods compare:&nbsp;Note! While growing nuts produces more greenhouse gases than some other plant-based foods, replacing cropland with nut trees increases the absorption of carbon from the atmosphere, lowering the total net emissions from the final productC1.

One way to reduce the emissions from your diet is to adopt a largely plant-based diet13. By removing animal products from our diets, greenhouse gas emissions from food could be reduced by up to 70% (but this depends on where you live)NEW2! This could mean replacing meat with veggies or plant-based meats or dairy products with non-dairy alternatives (e.g. using oat milk instead of dairy milk).&nbsp;&nbsp;But going plant-based isn’t the only way you can help the planet. Even just shifting to lower-impact meats such as chicken and fish can reduce emissionsNEW2,21,Scarborough.

Your Diet and the Climate

While the transport of food makes up only a small proportion of food production emissions, it provides an easy opportunity to reduce emissions from the food supply chainShabir,11.&nbsp;So, what can we do to reduce emissions from our food transport and processing?&nbsp;<ol><li>Avoid food that is transported by air, especially - for every tonne of cargo, transport by short-haul aircraft emits around 1,700g of CO₂/km7. By comparison, transport by sea (bulk shipping) produces the smallest amount per km at around 2g of CO₂/km for every tonne of cargo7.</li><li>Go to the source. Avoid processed foods, as food processing and packaging use lots of energy11,NEW2.</li></ol>

But just looking at food miles doesn’t paint the full picture.&nbsp;While reducing how far your food has travelled can help reduce emissions, in many cases, it is also important to consider how the food was produced in the first place8.&nbsp;For example, in cooler climates, energy is needed to keep sheep and cattle warm during the winter14. Generally, this isn’t needed in countries with a warmer climate14.

Energy is also needed to keep food fresh and cold14. Some fruits and vegetables are preserved in cold storage for months so that they can be sold out of season14.&nbsp;Depending on where and what you’re buying, how far your food has travelled is not always the best indicator of the carbon footprint of your food14. In fact, for beef production, transportation typically accounts for less than 1% of emissions16! In this case, it is not the location of where you buy your meat which makes its carbon footprint high, but the type of meat itself16.

How Does Food Get To Our Plates?

Therefore, we must not only think about the types of food we eat but also about how much we buy and throw awayEPA.

So, our diet is an important part of our lives as well as our impact on the environment. By adopting a more sustainable diet, we can play our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

How Bad Is Food Waste?

Sustainable Diet

newref2

newref3

TRAN

OWID1

OWID2

IATA

ScienceCon

BritCon

PFNOx

UKGOV

Tyre

Globally, transport is responsible for about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissionsTRAN,CWD. It is, therefore, an important sector to consider in our attempts to shrink our emissions.

Around 4 billion passengers are flown each year, often over long distancesP1,IATA. With roughly 250g of CO₂ emitted per passenger per km (for domestic flights), this adds up to around 800 million tonnes of CO₂ every yearOWID1,P3.&nbsp;

Carbon Emissions From Flying

Flying does not only emit CO₂. In fact, over half of its short-term climate impact comes from non-CO₂ emissions23.&nbsp;Contrails are the trails you see behind planes6,ScienceCon. They are made of condensed water vapour released from aircraft at high altitudes6,ScienceCon. The water vapour instantly freezes to form ice crystals, which then produce special clouds called contrail-induced cirrus clouds6,7. These clouds can trap the earth’s heat closer to the surface, which causes a warming effect6,7.

Planes also emit Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), a gas that contributes to climate change by forming the greenhouse gas known as ozone24. However, there is some disagreement over how big an effect NOx has, because it also destroys the greenhouse gas methane24,25,PFNOx. Even so, if the buildup of ozone outweighs the removal of methane, there will be a net warming effect24,PFNOx.

Non-Carbon Emissions From Flying

For some journeys, there are alternatives to flying. For example, taking a train emits 35g of CO₂eq per km per passengerOWID1. Compare this to the 246g of CO₂eq per km released per passenger on a domestic flightOWID1!

But sometimes alternatives to flying are not available. In these cases, flying economy is the next best option.&nbsp;Flying in business class produces 2 to 3 times as much CO₂ as flying economy while flying first class produces 2 to 3 times as much CO₂ as flying business class15! This is because premium seats take up more space, meaning fewer people can fly on a single aeroplane15.

What can you do to reduce the impact of unavoidable flights?By paying a little extra when you fly, money can be given to support projects that take in an equivalent amount of CO₂ to that released from your journey16. This is called carbon offsetting. Projects supported by carbon offsetting include reforestation or the purchase of zero-carbon energy16,Vol.&nbsp;If conducted well, offsetting causes a net reduction in emissions and may be worth considering should you find yourself faced with an unavoidable flight22,PA,PF,Vol.&nbsp;

Regardless, the best way to reduce emissions is to do so directly rather than relying on carbon offsetting27. What's more, it is crucial to critically examine how much carbon a specific carbon offsetting programme actually removes, as some are more effective than others27,PA,Vol. You can do this by checking they have proper certifications and have been verified by reliable third parties, such as environmental Non-Government OrganisationsPA,VCS.

How Can You Reduce Your Environmental Impact From Flying?

75% of transport CO2 emissions come from road vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, busses, taxis,&nbsp; trucks, and lorriesOWID2,IEA!

An effective way to reduce your carbon footprint can be to share journeys with other people who are going to the same place8.&nbsp;But, if you have the option, a good alternative is to take public transportOWID1,Pub.

Emissions From Cars

Electric cars store electricity in a battery, which is used to power an electric motor that propels the car forwardDOE. This is different to normal cars, which rely on the burning of fossil fuels9.

Electricity is still generated by burning fossil fuels in many places, and battery production creates 56-494 kg of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity10,30.

When compared to conventional petrol vehicles, electric cars produce fewer emissions in their lifetime10.&nbsp;That said, electric cars still cause the same problems associated with all cars: traffic and road accidentsnewref3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Plus, cars release particles called PM₂.₅, which cause air pollution in citiesnewref2. Most of these don’t come from the exhaust, but from friction rubbing in the brakes and the tyresTyre. This means they will occur for any type of car, electric or notnewref2,Tyre.The most efficient (and lowest-carbon) ways to travel over short to medium distances, however,&nbsp; are walking and bikingOWID1.So, travel and transportation remain a significant source of carbon emissions. The electrification of cars, trucks, and buses, along with the deployment of clean energy and improved public transportation, will significantly reduce these emissions10. In the meantime, we can play a role in reducing our emissions if we all limited how much we travel, as well as choosing transportation options with a lower carbon footprint8,OWID1.

Should You Buy an Electric Car?

Flying and Driving

Batt2

Batt3

WATER

FIT1

GLAZE

PALM

WASTE

Diana

stat

Home

2024

Palm2020

WRI15

Stakeholders

As the global economy grows, we are buying more stuff. More scientifically, we are “increasing our consumption”. However, as we do so, we also increase our CO₂ emissions1.&nbsp;In fact, household consumption is responsible for over 70% of global greenhouse emissionsHome!

In this chapter, we will discuss the impact of the consumption of goods made by four key global industries:&nbsp;<ol><li>Fashion</li><li>Housing</li><li>Palm Oil</li><li>Personal Electronics</li></ol>

Introduction

The fashion industry is the second-largest industrial polluter, accounting for 4-10% of all greenhouse gas emissionsF1,F2,F3,F4! Most emissions come from the highly complex global supply chain that is used to produce and distribute clothesF1.

This industry is also among the most water-intensive and is responsible for 20% of industrial water pollutionWATER,PA. It also creates many other toxins that are harmful to human and environmental health and produces 92 million tonnes of waste a year2.

Still, demand for apparel has increased steadily over timeNEW1,2024:

How Does Fashion Affect the Environment?

Housing creates an array of environmental issues, from when it is built to when it is knocked down6. The main way to reduce such impacts is through government policy, like enforcing the use of more environmentally sustainable building materials or recycling construction debris and demolition waste6,21.&nbsp;While most of us have little control over how our houses are built, we can make a difference to the emissions produced by living in them.&nbsp;Ensuring our homes have double glazing and loft insulation will make them more energy efficient by conserving energyFIT1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Another high-impact action you can choose is switching to a clean electricity providerE2.&nbsp;

Different sources of energy release different amounts of greenhouse gases[E1]. Coal is the worst offender at 820g per kWhE1. The emissions of greenhouse gases from each source can be seen in the figure belowE1.

What’s the Impact of Housing?

Palm oil is an oil made from the fruit of an oil palm, typically grown in Malaysia and Indonesia9,PALM.

The increase in demand for palm oil has resulted in extensive deforestation in countries where it is grown, leading to a loss of biodiversity as land is converted from dense forests to palm oil plantationsE5,Palm2020,PALM. Further, converting rainforests to palm oil plantations has resulted in a net increase of greenhouse gas emissionsPalm2020.&nbsp;These impacts are made worse when ‘slash and burn’ techniques are used to clear land by burning the forestPalm2020. This intentional burning releases large amounts of CO₂ and nitrous oxide; in 2015, fires in Indonesia, many of which were intentionally started to clear land, caused 1.62-1.75 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions to be releasedM1,WRI15.&nbsp;However, palm oil is actually the most efficient type of oil we can use for many household products13,Palm2020,E4,E5,11. Oil palm is highly productive, producing an average of 3.8 tonnes of oil per hectare and 40kg of oil per tree per yearE4,E5! Other temperate oil crops produce only about 0.3-1.2 tonnes per hectareE4,E5.&nbsp;

There are efforts to produce palm oil more sustainably but there is also significant controversy on whether these practices really are sustainablePALM2020,R2.The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, for example, has been criticised for being unable to meet its sustainability goals, such as conserving orangutans and reducing fire hotspotsR2.In other words, solutions related to personal action aren’t always as straightforward as they seem. It’s important to always look into the pros and cons of whatever lifestyle changes you may choose to take on.

Is Palm Oil Bad for the Environment?

Electronic waste is a big threat to the environment15,16. Alongside an increase in ownership of personal electronics over the last decade, the lifespan of our devices is becoming shorter as companies try to encourage us to upgrade to the newest, smartest technology14,15,stat.

Over 50 million tonnes of electronic waste is produced every yearWASTE,GEM. Worryingly, less than 20% of that waste was recycledWASTE,GEM.&nbsp;When electronics are thrown into a landfill, toxic chemicals, such as lead and lithium, leak into the environment, polluting ecosystems, and harming human health16,GEM.&nbsp;What's more, mining for the metals that are needed to manufacture the batteries for these devices results in greenhouse gas emissions of 11.73 kg CO₂eq per kg of metal extractedBatt2.

Even so, recycling such components is still expensive; buying less is still a superior optionM2,WASTE.&nbsp;So, what can we doWASTE,Stakeholders?&nbsp;<ul><li>Buy less - don’t be tempted by advertising! You don’t need a new phone every year</li><li>Recycle old electronics if possible</li><li>Repair broken devices</li><li>Buy second-hand electronics</li><li>Buy environmentally friendly electronics. Possible certifications include energy star or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).</li></ul>

What’s the Impact of Personal Electronics?

Consumption

Is Climate Change Really a Reason Not to Have Children?

STAT1

WORLD

CHILD

TooFew

Saroha

WBJap

WBIt

2023sing

PLOS

CORD

“Should I have fewer children to lower my impact on climate change?” This is a question that is often raised in the debate on how we can reduce our personal emissionswb,w14,EP.&nbsp;We’ll try to answer it, focusing mainly on the high-income countries. For low-income nations, we must take a different perspective, is be covered in our course '<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://climatescience.org/advanced-women-and-climatechange">A Fair World</a>’.&nbsp;&nbsp;On average, each person on Earth is responsible for around 5 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per yearJ1,STAT1. This, however, varies greatly depending on which country the person is inWORLD. For example, in 2022, the average person in the United States emitted 30 times more CO₂ than the average person living in SudanOWID1.

Having one fewer child in a wealthy country could reduce a family's carbon footprint by up to 58.6&nbsp; tonnes per year over an 80-year lifespan, according to one study[CHILD].

Attempts to forecast emissions assume emission rates remain constant, without accounting for the probable increase in governmental emission restrictions over children's lifetimeswb.&nbsp;And remember, a person’s carbon emissions are dependent on their lifestyle choicesw21. It’s possible for an individual to reduce emissions by changing their lifestyle or by working to reduce the emissions of others (through volunteering or work)w20.

Does Having Fewer Children Really Reduce Emissions?

There are benefits to having children. The functionality of human society is highly dependent on a healthy, working populationw3,TooFew.&nbsp;Population pyramids are used to show the distribution of various age groups in a populationJ6,WEF,Saroha. We can roughly categorise population pyramids into 3 typesJ6,WEF,JD: <ol><li>Expansive</li><li>Constrictive</li><li>Stationary</li></ol>

“Expansive” population pyramids are often found in low-income nationsJ6,JD. These populations often have high fertility rates and lower than average life expectancies, so their populations are growingJ6,JD. This is common in many Asian and African countriesJ6,JD.&nbsp;

“Constrictive” population pyramids are more common in countries with higher levels of social and economic development, whose populations are shrinking and ageing like in GermanyJ6,JD,w1.

“Stationary” population pyramids describe populations that maintain a consistent size and structure over time, like the USA or CanadaJD.

High-income countries often face the challenge of an ageing population, with prominent examples such as Japan and Italy having 30% and 24% of their population above the age of 65, respectivelyWBJap,WBIt.&nbsp;Countries with constrictive age pyramids will likely struggle due to a shrinking workforce and an increasing cost of caring for the elderlyw26,w27.

For example, in Japan, the low birth rate has caused shifts in education, while an increasingly elderly population has forced the government to reconsider its policies regarding labour, healthcare, and taxationwr4.

Population Pyramids: The Need for Children

Well, increase the birth rate!&nbsp;A key statistic to determine if a population will shrink is the total fertility rate (TFR): the average number of children per woman in her lifetimeJ13,JE.&nbsp;For a population to remain constant, a TFR of around 2.1 is neededJ14,JE. However, some countries have a TFR of only 0.8w28. How can these countries implement policies to increase this number?In Singapore, policies have provided financial and marriage incentives, as well as support for parents to balance work and familyJ15,2023sing.

Policies also used to tackle a low TFR include maternity/paternity leave, family allowances, and subsidised child careJ16,2023sing.

But is it ethical to have children in the age of climate change? Some argue that having children would be immoral as it would increase the number of people contributing to climate change and expose future generations to climate-related riskswr1,EP.&nbsp;Children are also vulnerable to the effects of climate change, especially children in low-income countrieswr2,PLOS. Climate change may cause physical harm due to high temperatures, natural disasters, and decreased availability of nutritious foodwr2,PLOS. Climate change may also lead to mental and psychological distress, as well as decreased availability of education for some childrenwr2,PLOS.

However, policy changes and community engagement can lower children’s climate-related risksw2. Educating children and encouraging their participation in climate discussions can help promote sustainable development and curb individual emissionswr3,w2,CORD. This means that, while having children does come with risks, these risks can be lowered through lifestyle choices and policywr3,w2.&nbsp;So, it's a tricky balance to strike; having fewer children does reduce your carbon emissions, but some countries may face significant problems if their populations continue to age and shrinkw7,w1.With policy changes and innovation, the impact of each person on the environment will be lower in the future than it is todaywb,wm6. We must advocate for policies that can lower our lifetime emissions and make lifestyle changes that are more sustainable.&nbsp;If you choose to have children, empower them to discuss and work on solutions to climate change. Together you can help construct a more positive future for everyonew2!

What Can Be Done to Address Ageing and Shrinking Populations?

Having Children

APP1

APP2

TIK1

TIK2

SOCA

Nielsen

BritElec

Evol

Amnesty

Communicating

SocialChange

SocialChange2

Rosenberger

One person’s actions alone aren’t enough to stop climate changeA,B,D,E,F,APP1,APP2,SOCA. So what can you do to encourage broader, systemic change?Well, you can voteNielsen,EQ,22,23! But you need lots of votes to gain a majority and win an election, and some people are too young or unable to voteBritElec. Because of this, some people turn to activism to make their voices heard.

&nbsp;You’ve probably heard of a few activists:&nbsp;<ul><li>Greta Thunberg - Climate Change - 2003 to Present</li><li>Nelson Mandela - Racial Equality in South Africa - 1918 to 2013</li><li>Malala Yousafzai - Education for Women and Girls - 1997 to Present</li></ul>&nbsp;Activists often join forces in large groups. For example, Greenpeace, Fridays for Future, and Extinction Rebellion are all activist groups fighting for environmental causes50,51,52.

These groups sometimes organise large protests. For example, in March 2019 a number of organisations held the first “Global Climate Strike”, where an estimated 1.6 million people took to the streets in cities around the world to demand climate action4.&nbsp;That’s not to say all activists do is protest1,5:

Increasingly, activism is also happening online: for example, nearly of Americans use social media to engage with political ideas6,Evol.

But does any of this actually work?

What Do Activists Do?

Activists seek many goals with their protests. The two biggest are triggering direct action from the government and changing moods within a wider population by raising awarenessSDG,HBS. Let’s take a look at these one by one… <h2>Goal 1: Make things happen</h2>Protesters often have clear demands that they want to be met. For exampleAmnesty,83:

However, because governments make decisions for a number of reasons, it is often extremely difficult to know whether government action comes as a direct result of protests54. This makes it hard to know whether the protest itself was successful in causing the change54.

This is because protesters have another goal too...&nbsp;<h2>Goal 2: Change people’s minds</h2>In many ways, activism is a fight for attention54,SDG. If activists can get enough people to think about an issue, they might be able to change how they think about it too. How?&nbsp;One way is by changing the words and images people use to describe an issue.&nbsp;For example, in recent years the language of climate activism has shifted from “tree-hugging” concerns about the Earth (think of polar bears) to concerns about the impacts of climate change on people and justice12. This imagery tends to move people to act a lot more effectivelyCommunicating,14,15.

Protesters aim to change people’s views about a topic, tooSocialChange. For example, look at how American public opinion changed after the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020:

It is impossible to tell how much of this change can be linked to the protests, but activists can take some credit for the change of national perspective.

Dive Into the Goals of Activism

But how big does a protest need to be?&nbsp;One famous study of anti-government protests shows that if a protest gets 3.5% of the population involved, it is almost certain to succeed22,26.&nbsp;Studies looking at other types of protest, however,&nbsp; have found that you need far more people - up to a quarter of a country’s population23,24. What they all agree on, however, is that the bigger the protest, the higher the chance of it being successful22,26,23,24.&nbsp;Things become a bit more complicated when there are two protest groups in direct opposition to each other. Here we know that the difference between the two movements’ sizes becomes important24.&nbsp;More problematically, when there are two big protest movements on either side of an argument, their views can become even more extreme24. This makes the problem worse because it becomes harder for each side to find middle ground and can divide the public further24,73,74. This is known as polarisation.

This isn’t to say that if a protest is big enough it will always be successful. For example, after the 2008 global financial crash, anti-inequality protests attracted millions of protesters around the world. Despite this, global inequality remains high28,29,30.

When Do Protests Work?

You might think that, since protests are partly a struggle for attention, more extreme or violent protests attract more attention and so are more successful.&nbsp;In fact, evidence suggests that violent protest is considerably less effective than peaceful protest32,33. Just look at these numbers!

The difference is particularly stark when you compare violent and non-violent pro-democracy protests33,32:

Why? Because violent protests32,26:&nbsp;<ul><li>Make it harder for lots of people to get involved, since some people are unable to take part in violent activity (e.g. young people), or are scared to32. This limits the size of violent protests, which is the most important factor.</li></ul>&nbsp;<ul><li>Increase the chance that forces will respond disproportionally, which quashes the protest32.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Why Violence Fails

With almost 70% of the world’s population having access to the internet, it is no surprise that online activism is becoming so popular46.In fact, more and more activists are taking to social media apps like ‘TikTok’ to raise awareness of issues, particularly in youth, and advocate for changeTIK1,TIK2.&nbsp;Activism online can also take the shape of signing petitions.A petition is a written request, signed by many people, to a person or body of authority, such as the government or a company, in the hope of finding a solution to an issue49.&nbsp;The theory is that the more people who sign the petition, the more pressure the body of authority will be under to follow through with the request49.

In the UK, anyone can create a petition, but it must receive 10,000 signatures to receive a response from parliament and over 100,000 for it to be considered for a debate36!&nbsp;But even this does not mean that the request will be granted. In fact, in 2017 four of the ten most signed petitions were not even debated, and not a single one of them was successful39. Those are not great numbers!

Petitions and Online Activism

Petition signers are sometimes called ‘slacktivists’ - ‘lazy’ activists who feel as if they have created change, without actually engaging in direct action37.

There are benefits to petitions, though.&nbsp;Petitions and other forms of online activism, such as sharing information on social media, are peaceful, safe and accessible to anyone at any age with an internet connection40,Rosenberger. This helps more people engage with issues. Additionally, the sheer number of these activists as a “critical periphery” make them an equally impactful part of a movement as the core minority41.

Also, online activism is a great stepping stone for people to become more passionate about issues and move on to more direct forms of action. Take a look:

Unlike the other personal steps we’ve looked at in this course, there’s no way to say how much CO₂ could be saved by taking part in activism.&nbsp;But we can look at the ways past protests have been successful in changing how people think about an issue in order to learn how these could be applied to the environmental movement.&nbsp;Beyond benefits to the planet, studies have suggested that going to protests can improve self-confidence57,58,59,60,61,69, increase well-being later in life57,62,63,54,65,69,70, help develop skills and knowledge57,71,72, and more57.&nbsp;As long as you stay thoughtful and safe, and match activism with real life-long commitments to change, there’s little harm in making your voice heard, and there’s a chance you could contribute towards meaningful change and a brighter future for all22,23,24,25,57.

If you do decide to go to a protest, it is very important to remember that protesting, no matter how peaceful, isn’t always safe or legal. Make sure to prepare well and research the laws and rights in your country before heading off.

Should I Sign a Petition?

Activism

EN76

Diet

Houses

IPCC23

How important are the actions of one individual in a world of more than 8 billion peoplePop? Can our individual actions to reduce our carbon footprint really make a difference on a global scale?Let’s start by looking at the source of the majority of greenhouse gas emissions…EN76

75% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from energy (electricity, fuels, heating, etc.), which is mostly produced by fossil fuel companies and backed by governmentsEN76.&nbsp;In fact, around 82% of our energy comes from the burning of fossil fuelsF.It’s important to note that the contribution to the demand for fossil fuels varies greatly by countryGAP,F.

Our lifestyle choices can help to reduce carbon emissions, but a single person’s actions alone will not make a lot of differenceSOCA. To have a significant impact, we will need technological innovation and structural changes, along with strong environmental policies that are adopted on a global scaleIPCC23,SOCA.

Where Does the Blame Lie?

&nbsp;Reducing our own emissions, however, is only part of the solution and the level of impact people can have in this sense varies dramatically by countryGAP,F. At the same time, it is unlikely we’ll manage to convince enough people in the highest emitting countries to dramatically change their lifestylesNEW1.To stop climate change, we need to get total emissions to zeroAPP2.&nbsp;Regardless, it doesn't mean that we shouldn’t make changes to our lifestyles!Lifestyle changes allow us to express our concerns about climate change to others. Through our actions, we can encourage others to make these changes too, triggering a ripple effect4,5. For example, when children make an effort to help the environment, their parents are more likely to adapt their own lifestyles too9.

It is difficult to try to convince people that they should change their habits without following such advice yourself; if you want people to take you seriously, practice what you preach6!

Can Personal Action Alone Solve Climate Change?

By voting for politicians who support emissions-reducing policies, such as carbon taxation and tighter environmental regulations, we can hope to see governments taking sufficient action against the climate crisis11.&nbsp;

Governments can then use policy to influence personal action by increasing taxes on high-emission goods, or clear labelling to show the emissions produced when making them12.What’s more, when we buy things, we are effectively “voting with our wallets”!&nbsp;

Another way we can use our money for positive action is by donating to charities. But the impact depends on the charityEff. It’s important to research exactly what a charity does and how they spend their money before donating. Possible methods to do so would be to refer to independent charity watch-dogs which let you know how efficiently a charity will use your donation to fund the programs you want to support15,16.&nbsp;So, personal action still has a role to play in reducing carbon emissions, but it is not enough by itselfA,B,IPCC23,D,E,F,APP2. To make a noticeable difference, we will need systemic change.

Another great way to help solve climate change is to choose high-impact careers that work to find solutions to our current sustainability problems or raise awareness in others. (See our ‘Open problems’ chapters in other courses!)

Vote if You Can!

Does Personal Action Matter?

ANOTHER

How can you, as an individual, contribute to solving climate change? Can the actions of one person really make a difference to our planet?&nbsp;First of all, let's look at how what we eat impacts the world around us.25-30% of global human-made greenhouse gas emissions come from the production and consumption of foodNEW2,Crippa,NEWW. But not all foods are equal:

To reduce emissions from our diet the best thing we can do is to adopt a largely plant-based diet13. The graph below shows the impact that different diets could have17.

Diet and the Climate

Transport of food only makes up a small amount of the industry’s overall emissionsShabir,11.

It turns out that transport distance is a fairly poor indicator of how bad for the environment our food actually is, because other sources of emissions, like storage and production, are far more impactful14. For example, transportation only accounts for 1% of emissions from beef16!

What About Processing and Transporting Food?

And yet the demand for clothes continues to increaseNEW1,2024:

What About Fashion?

Eating and Shopping

FLY1

Transport is responsible for about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissionsTRAN. If we’re looking to cut our personal emissions, this is another good place to start.

Climate and Transport

Flying creates 2.5% of global CO₂ emissionsFLY1! But this is only part of the story - over half of its climate impact comes from non-CO₂ emissions23,FLY1.&nbsp;For example, planes release trails of water vapour which produce clouds that trap energy from the sun, creating a warming effect three times that of CO₂6,7!

For some journeys, there are alternatives to flying, such as taking a train or ferryOWID1.

Emissions From Flying

75% of transport emissions come from road vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, busses, taxis,&nbsp; trucks, and lorriesOWID2,IEA.

Both public transportation and carpooling are great alternatives to driving on your own, when accessibleOWID1.

The most efficient (and lowest-carbon) ways to travel over short to medium distances, however,&nbsp; are walking and bikingOWID1.

Electric cars get their energy from electricity in a battery, rather than fuel in a tank9.

Unfortunately, electricity is still generated by burning fossil fuels in most places32.&nbsp;When compared to conventional petrol vehicles, however, electric cars still produce fewer emissions in their lifetime10. That said, electric cars still cause the same problems associated with all cars: traffic and road accidentsnewref3.&nbsp;Plus, cars release particles called PM₂.₅, which cause air pollution in citiesnewref2. Most of these don’t come from the exhaust, but from friction in the breaks and the tyres, so occur on any type of carnewref2. Now you might be thinking “it’s great that I can cut my own carbon footprint, but it won’t change anything because I’m only one person”. This is an important concern, and we’ll look at it next!

The sad news is that in a world of 8 billion people, cutting your personal emissions won’t have any direct impact on the climatePop,A,B,D,E,F,APP1,APP2,SOCA. But that doesn’t mean that you, as an individual, are helpless.

To have a significant impact, we will need technological innovation and structural changes, along with strong environmental policies that are adopted on a global scaleIPCC23,SOCA.

There are three main reasons our personal changes still matter:&nbsp;<ol><li>Our actions cause a ripple effect: if we change our lifestyle, others are likely to notice and follow4,5.</li><li>People will take you more seriously as an environmentalist if you practice what you preach6.</li></ol>

<ol start="3"><li>If we only buy sustainable products, you are supporting those trying to make positive change and companies are incentivised to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices to meet your demand18,25. This is called voting with your wallet.</li></ol>

Why Should We Make Personal Changes?

As well as voting with our wallets, we can also vote with our … votes! By voting for politicians who support emissions-reducing policies, such as carbon taxation and tighter environmental regulations, we can hope to see governments taking action against the climate crisis11.So, personal action still has a role to play in reducing carbon emissions, but it is not enough aloneA,B,D,E,F,APP1,APP2.

What Else Can You Do?

What small things can you do in your daily life?


How can you, as an individual, contribute to solving climate change? Can the actions of one person really make a difference to our planet?In this course, explore the actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and consider how effective these actions will be in our collective fight to solve climate change.

Personal Action

What will you learn in this course?

Related Courses

Undo Climate Change?

Causes

Clean Energy